Travels with Herodotus

Ryszard Kapuściński

Introduced by Margaret Atwood

From the civil wars in Africa to revolutions in the Middle East, in the Cold War if there was a major news story Ryszard Kapuściński was there, always with a copy of Herodotus' Histories in his luggage. In this fascinating memoir Kapuściński compares his experiences with those of Herodotus writing over fifteen hundred years before him.

Travels with Herodotus

During a brief period of political ‘thaw’ in Poland following Stalin’s death in 1953, a young reporter named Ryszard Kapuściński dreamed of being allowed to leave the country – not to go as far as Paris or London, but simply to cross the border. A year after he confessed his desire to his editor, the terrified Kapuściński was sent to India. He knew almost nothing about life in other countries; his only frame of reference was his copy of Herodotus’ The Histories. He returned overwhelmed by the experience, embarrassed by his ignorance, but determined to see the world.

Production Details

Three-quarter bound in buckram.

Paper sides printed with a photograph by the author.

Set in Arno Pro.

248 pages.

Frontispiece and 16 pages of black & white plates.

Book Size:10" × 6¾".

Travels with Herodotus

'His exceptional combination of journalism and art allows us to feel so close to what Kapuściński calls the inexpressible true image of war’ SALMAN RUSHDIE

With Herodotus as his companion, Kapuściński’s began his career. A series of investigative travels across Asia and Africa would make him one of the greatest reporters of his day, with
an instinct for finding the heart of the action and an endless curiosity about his fellow human beings. Travels with Herodotus is partly a snapshot of Kapuściński’s career, partly a tribute to his predecessor Herodotus, whom he describes as ‘the consummate reporter’. Kapuściński takes us from India to China, from the Congo to Turkey, and back and forth in time to
witness demonstrators shot in the streets of Tehran or Darius erecting the temples and palaces of Persepolis. Herodotus had been banned in communist Poland because he depicted tyrants
whose actions led to their overthrow. Kapuściński’s own books contained similar subversive messages. Both Herodotus and Kapuściński saw poverty, brutality and destruction, and yet
both writers remained critically engaged, not crushed by their experiences.

'An unmissable treat'GILES FODEN

Kapuściński was a gifted photographer, and this new Folio edition contains a selection of his astonishing pictures, held in an archive in Warsaw. Some of these have never previously been published. They reveal Kapuściński as a great portraitist, who befriended individuals and captured their stories, both in his books and with his 35mm Zorca. Margaret Atwood was ‘honoured and pleased’ when we asked her permission to reprint her 2007 obituary of Kapuściński as the preface for this book. It ends with a quotation from Travels with Herodotus: ‘We stand in darkness, surrounded by light’. For Atwood, this is a fitting epitaph for ‘this modest man who was a superlative witness to our times’.

Reviews

"I wasn't familiar with Kapuściński before, and as I read comparatively little non-fiction, didn't know whether I'd enjoy this volume as much as the book's description seemed to indicate I might. I n..." [read more]

"I wasn't familiar with Kapuściński before, and as I read comparatively little non-fiction, didn't know whether I'd enjoy this volume as much as the book's description seemed to indicate I might. I needn't have worried; when I picked it up late one night to read the first few pages, I was only able to put it down again well past my bedtime, and with great difficulty. Kapuściński is (was) a very engaging writer, so much so that I will be sure to seek out his other books, even though they haven't received the Folio treatment.
This is a beautiful volume with very thick, creamy paper and a larger font than usual, which makes for very comfortable reading. The photos are a nice touch and are overall very well reproduced, with the exception of one image which occupies a double page spread at what looks like too little resolution. But that is a minor quibble because discovering such a great author in a fine volume like this is a wonderful treat!" [hide full review]